A senior opposition party official urged the Japanese government on Sunday to maintain a 300,000-yen cash handout program for households suffering sharp income falls due to the fallout from the new coronavirus epidemic.

"The 300,000 yen is designed to address steep income drops and is different from the (government's new) 100,000-yen cash handout in terms of roles," Tetsuro Fukuyama, secretary-general of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said on a television program.

The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided to abandon the 300,000-yen aid program for distressed families and, instead, dole out 100,000 yen to each resident without setting an income limit.

Hirofumi Hirano, secretary-general of the Democratic Party for the People, said the government should show the people what to do with the 300,000 yen.

Tomomi Inada, executive acting secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, sought support for the policy shift. "We hope to ensure national unity without dividing the public by distributing a uniform 100,000 yen," she said.

Tetsuo Saito, secretary-general of Komeito, the junior coalition partner of the LDP, said the government needs to consider measures for people facing rapid income falls as part of the next economic package.

JIJI Press